Lia looked up at the sign that said ‘Warm blanket’ then pushed through the door. The Innkeeper looked up at Lia with a smile “I say Lia you have grown up to be a fine woman makes me reminisce about the old days when you were running around with that Roland boy dragging him everywhere like you hade a rope around him and you never listening to my teachings” the Innkeeper said. Lia’s face broke out into a huge smile “Telerance my goodness it’s been years” she said hugging him as he came out from behind the counter “it’s so good to see you my old teacher” She said smiling down at the slightly shorter but much older man. He is a snow leopard cat demon with short light blond hair that was turning gray and large glasses he didn’t look like it but he was a very good fighter and used to be a knight before taking up his role as a scholar. Telerance smiled back “so here for any reason” he asked his eyes twinkling as if he knew something she didn’t. Lia grinned seeing that look “I take it you have seen Roland” she said to which Telerance nodded. “That boy is huge now made me feel like I was getting old and feeble with all those muscles” Telerance said. Lia nodded a far off look in her eyes as she thought about him. Telerance snapped his fingers in front of her getting her attention “I think you were caught up in your daydreams Lia” he said with a knowing grin and Lia blushed. ”Lira! Lira!! LIRA!!!!!!!!!!!!” someone outside yelled and a little girl with blonde hair and little cute hamster ears on her head came in laughing and giggling. “Daddy” she yelled looking around before a rather plump woman who was a bear demon came in looking tired. Lira kept looking around then looked to the woman “Nursey Mona where is daddy” she asked her eyes huge and curious. Mona stood up and looked around “I don’t know Lira” she said. Lia walked over “umm excuse me I’m supposed to pick up Lira her father had to go to Loregon” Lia said not sure if she was approaching this right. Mona looked at her distrustfully “who exactly are you to have me leave this child with you” she asked. “I’m an old friend of Roland” Lia said Mona didn’t look convinced “I’m Lia” she said hopeing it would help. Mona nodded “he has been gone for four months so I hope nothing has happened” Mona said pushing Lira in front of her “Lira this here is Miss Lia your going to stay with her till your daddy comes, ok?” she said. Lira nodded smiling up hugely to Lia. Lia smiled back and took Lira’s hand and started back to the castle with her.


Days passed and Roland didn’t come back but Lira was having fun with Lia so she didn’t mind while Lia became more agitated by the day. Lia sighed it had been two weeks and a half and still no Roland Lia was starting to get worried about him. Lira had her head in Lia’s lap asleep Lia ran her hand over the little girls head. A man burst in the room “Miss Lia the king of Loregon is dead” he said making Lia look at him with mouth wide open. “HOW!!!!!” she said loudly making Lira sit up blinking her eyes sleepily. “The messenger just arrived telling us that we are accused of assassinating him and several generals and that Loregon has declared war with us” the man said. Lia blinked “WHAT HOW DARE THEY ACCUSE US OF SUCH A THING!” she screeched getting to her feet “tell that messenger I’ll be down in a moment” she said the man nodded. Lira’s eyes caught Lia’s and seemed like they knew something. ”Daddy” Lira said. Lia stopped “what” she asked “daddy done it” Lira replied. Lia stood there staring at the cute looking innocent little girl “why would you say such a horrible thing Lira” Lia asked. “Because it’s true Daddy is Corona’s fang” she said. Lia stopped messing with the slacks she was trying to put on and looked at Lira amazed “Roland is ‘THE’ fang” she asked to which Lira nodded. “You can ask him more when he gets here” Lira said. Lia blinked “will he be here soon” she asked feeling like the clueless child here. “yes Daddy always comes to me first when he does something” she said, “why” Lia asked “because if someone found out and wanted to get back at him I would be the first thing they would go after” she said. Lia sighed sitting down feeling much older than she was. They both sat there for a while in silence then after a moment Lia heard a small noise outside her window then a shadow was in the window and after that the shadow hopped in the room to show Roland standing there looking torn to shreds but not seriously injured. “Lira you ok” he asked not even looking at Lia. “yes Daddy” she said getting up and hugging him even though he was cut all over and bleeding Roland kneeled down just so he could kiss the top of her head. ”sweet heart would you mind going to your room” he asked Lira nodded getting on her tippy toes to kiss his cheek were a cut was and left. Roland stood back up and turned to Lia “ok start” he said meaning for her to beginning her questioning. “why are you the fang” Lia asked “because a knight isn’t much higher that the pawn in the game of chess and although a pawn can win a game it can’t  turn to it’s opponent not can it protect it’s own back and though I am the equivalent of a queen piece at the moment my queen has taken on a king piece position not being able to be captured but only cornered until it has no more moves” Roland said Lia understood pretty well what he meant but wasn’t sure completely “so this is about power” she asked Roland nodded. “You’re a fool then” she said and Roland laughed. “I am only doing this to keep my daughter safe” he said. Lia blinked “I still think you’re a fool” she said “but why kill the king and the generals” she asked. “Because the prince is a short minded individual and with new generals they won’t be experienced enough to attack two fronts with their military power, and since the prince is a greedy bastard he will attack your front” Roland said. Lia growled and slapped him “you I thought would understand that I am fighting to keep this place under my rule” Roland rubbed his cheek. “I know Corona have said they would send a huge force while keeping our defenses near Loregon, I also put up a lot of traps in the canyon pass heading to here the prince is furious about someone managing to sneak in the castle he isn’t even upset about his father” Roland said his teeth being bared some “I should have slit the brats throat in his sleep” Roland growled. Lia blinked “how did you kill his father” she asked. Roland walked over behind her wrapped one arm around her pinning her arms to her side and covered her mouth and closed her nose. Lia’s first instinct was to struggle soon she was fading out some she started thinking about how her kingdom would crumble and how Roland could betray her like this “everything is ok everyone is and will be safe your kingdom will be fine without you have done your work” he said softly to her and for some reason she believed him she felt like she could die in peace. Roland let her go and she started gasping for breath “that is how his life ended at peace like you were” he said. Lia looked at him wondering just what had happened to the child she had been best friends with he was still there some but a lot different she wasn’t sure what to say about the difference she liked it but didn’t like his nonchalant attitude about killing. “Roland we aren’t ready for war” she said sure she kept things tight but still they don’t have war tactics not trained ranks soldiers or anything similar they had weapons but that was it. “I’m going to help your men, I’ll train them I am the best of my queen’s generals” Roland said. Lia sighed “you’re the most pain in the ass man I know” she said kicking him lightly in the shin. Roland smiled “I’m tired” he said his eyes closing and he fell against her “oof” Lia said and drug him over to the bed just falling back on it with him “fine you can sleep with me but you better not trying anything” she said with a grin at her joke. After getting him situated Lia pulled his head into her lap her back against the headboard of the bed she ran her fingers through his head the moonlight shining down on them through her window. Lira smiled through the crack in the door “maybe Daddy can be happy with you” she said and snuck back to her room.